Despite leading by 10 points entering the fourth quarterback, the Clippers blew their double-digit lead to the Pelicans.
The NBA is a game of runs, and the Pels were lucky that their surge was best saved for last.
Despite holding a 15-point lead of their own in the second quarter, the Pelicans answer with a 34-6 run, and ended the third quarter with a double-digit advantage. But New Orleans stormed back in the fourth, behind some incredible coaching motivation from Willie Green and timely buckets by Jonas Valanciunas, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum.
The Clippers, shorthanded in their own right without Paul George due to COVID-19 (and without Kawhi Leonard all season) ran out of gas.
In a coaching adjustment clinic put on by both Green and Clippers coach Ty Lue, the Pelicans got the last laugh.
“He was making adjustments,” Green said. “He took his bigs out. We were trying to adjust to them. It didn’t work for us. We put our bigs back in. That didn’t work for us either…So we were throwing darts at the dartboard.”
Eventually, Green hit his target.
Pelicans defeat Clippers: Best memes and tweets
It’s tough to be too upset with the Clippers on the floor, as without the likes of George and Leonard, the spare parts shouldn’t be expected to contend for a playoff spot. Professional basketball is an individualized sport, and George and Kawhi are two of the best 20 players in basketball, arguably.
But that doesn’t mean fans can’t troll, at least a little bit.
https://twitter.com/LakeShowYo/status/1515193769087234050
https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1515183795720404999
Pat Bev watching the Clippers get knocked out the playoffs pic.twitter.com/OqGwbPUomP
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) April 16, 2022
Clippers heartbreaking postseason exits since 2014:
— StatMuse (@statmuse) April 16, 2022
2014 — Controversial G5
2015 — Blew 3-1 lead
2016 — CP injury
2017 — Blake injury
2020 — Blew 3-1 lead
2021 — Kawhi injured
2022 — PG Covid
Cursed? pic.twitter.com/vZfzUuPQUm
Lakers fans watching the Clippers lose in the play-inpic.twitter.com/yWbp7neGHO
— Overtime (@overtime) April 16, 2022
“This is our year”
— Ryan Rueda (@iDude14) April 16, 2022
Clippers and their fans every damn season. pic.twitter.com/nHBoVyZdLP
Kawhi Leonard’s three years with the Clippers:
— Nicole Ganglani (@nicoleganglani) April 16, 2022
Year 1: choked a 3-1 lead
Year 2: Injured
Year 3: in street clothes pic.twitter.com/bME5yfV9ot
Lakers fans had a lot of fun at the Clippers’ expense.
https://twitter.com/VinoUncorked/status/1515207847444951042
Clippers fans talked all that shit about the Lakers just to miss the playoffs too LMAOOO pic.twitter.com/VRxTWPF2iK
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) April 16, 2022
https://twitter.com/DeanScorpion_/status/1515192661820518402
After this tweet about Ty Lue, the Clippers were outscored by 14 points in the 4th quarter and blew a double digit lead to end their season. https://t.co/HDSlXx7lOA
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) April 16, 2022
There were many more where that came from.
It wouldn’t be the NBA Playoffs without a Clippers meltdown, that’s for sure.